bio balls

[eavetter]

I'm new to the hobby, don't have a sump for my tank, and just read the article about sumps. My question pertains to bio balls. I've read that they are useless. What is the theory existing behind bio balls? Why are they used by some and why are they thought to be useless by others?

[sean buehrle]

bioballs in a wetdry filter or trickle filter are considered the best or most efficient way of removing nitrite or breaking it down into nitrate because they make a large home for the bacteria in your tank,the people that are against using them are people who have reef tanks with live rock,the live rock takes the place of bioballs making a home for the bacteria, same for a sand bed. any type of media like bioballs or sponges, biowheels, canister or hang on powerfilters create alot of nitrate in your water and all the nitrate leads to blooms of algae and other unwanted problems in a reef tank, in a fish only tank i dont think you could have a better type of filter than a wetdry/trickle filter,i have 1 large trickle filter on 35- 20 gal tanks that are loaded with large freshwater discus and hundreds of babies and i have never found any ammonia in my tanks.